A watershed is an area of land that collects water and funnels it to a downstream waterway, such as a larger river, lake, estuary or ocean. Watersheds are separated from each other by hills, mountains, or other elevational features. The water moving through a water shed includes rain water and snowmelt as well as ground water.
A watershed includes:
- Land Surface: Mountains, valleys, and plains
- Water Bodies: Streams, rivers, lakes, underground aquifer
- Vegetation: Plants that play a role in soil stabilization and water filtration.
- Wildlife: Animals that depend on the watershed for habitat and food.
- Human Activities: Agricultural, industrial, and residential activities within the watershed.
Why is a healthy watershed important?
A healthy watershed provides and conserves clean water, and provides habitat for fish, wildlife, and native plants. It replenishes the aquifer which is where the majority of rural homes and communities use drilled water wells to obtain their water for drinking, household, livestock, irrigation and industrial needs.
The key components of a healthy watershed include:
- Intact and functioning headwater streams, floodplains, riparian corridors, biotic refugia, instream habitat, and biotic communities.
- Natural vegetation in the landscape.
- Hydrology, sediment transport, fluvial geomorphology, and disturbance regimes expected for its location.
- Physical elements like rivers, lakes, soil, and wetlands.
- Riparian zones (areas of land next to rivers and streams).
- Wetlands (areas saturated with water, supporting both aquatic and land species).
Monitoring the Health of a watershed
To learn more about how the health of a watershed is monitored through the Creek Watch Sampling process, check out their website.
Challenges to watershed and riparian health
- Drought
- Overuse and over extraction by individuals, farms and industry
- Pollutants/Chemicals that seep into the ground water and make their way to the aquifer
- Soil Erosion
- Clear cutting of trees and shrubs
- Bare or grass covered river banks
- Invasive plants
- Livestock use of streams and creeks
- Manure disposal/run-off
How you can help to protect the watershed?
- Protect the vegetation along the banks of ponds, streams and lakes (riparian areas)
- Collect rainwater and snowmelt for watering lawns, trees and gardens.
- Dispose of hazardous waste properly
- Recycle · Conserve water and use it wisely
- Use non-toxic products for cleaning
- Collect and recycle used oil
- Take your car to commercial car washes
- Keep your septic system in proper working order
- Protect and maintain your private well
- Do not flush medications
- Manage animal waste on farms
- Manage livestock grazing
- Install low flow toilets and shower heads
- Decommission abandoned water wells
- Fix leaky taps and faucets
The Medicine River Watershed Society 